How to play Bingo
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It is very easy getting started with Bingo and have in mind that many online Bingo rooms look almost identical. Some bingo rooms are, in fact, identical, because they are using the same bingo software, in different, individual setups. Apart from that, the bingo rules themselves are very simple. Below, you will find a brief summary of bingo rules. We will assume that we are dealing with an ordinary bingo game, with 75 balls/numbers (you will also find games with 90 balls/numbers, but the rules remain the same, so we do not need to go into further details). If the number that is drawn matches a number on the bingo card(s) that you have purchased, you cross of that number on your card(s). In online bingo, you do not have to worry about the crossing off, since it is done automatically (if you want it to). Whenever a certain pattern is completed in your bingo card, you win. The following patters count as winning criteria: - A horizontal row Your chances of winning depend entirely upon how many cards you have purchased, and upon the number of participants in the game. The number of bingo cards held by each individual player depends entirely on how many cards the individual player has chosen to purchase, prior to the beginning of the game. At each bingo card, you will find 5 horizontal rows, and 5 vertical columns. From left to right, the columns have been labeled with the letters `B´, `I´, `N´, `G´ and `O´. With one exception, all squares of the bingo card have a number. The square in the middle of the card is blank. The numbers are distributed in the following way: All squares in column B contain the numbers 1-15 Each number can only appear once at the same bingo card. |
| In an online bingo game, there are either 75 or 90 different numbers involved. In all games, the drawing continues, until a winner is found. In other words, you do not have a great deal of influence on your chances of winning, since bingo is, first and foremost, based upon good luck/bad luck. This being said, there are some guidelines that you can (and should) follow, in order to improve your chances of winning. |
Play with more than one card at a time! |
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It may seem obvious that if you choose to spend a little money on a couple of extra bingo cards, stand a better chance of belling the first to yell `Bingo!´ But how many cards should you choose to play with? Well, this depends on several factors, such as the number of players involved in the game, the price of the bingo cards, and the amount of prize money, compared to the price of the cards. Some experts believe that the optimum number of cards is five. This may vary, depending on the number of players involved, and on the amount of prize money, though. |
When playing with more than one bingo card at a time, make sure that the cards of select differ as much from each other as possible! |
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If you choose to play with more than one card at a time, then it would be a good idea to make sure that the numbers on each card differ as much from each other as possible. Why? If you have the same number on several cards, and that number fails to come up, then you have lost the advantage of having more than one card! |
When playing with more than one bingo card at a time, make sure that the numbers are as identical as possible! |
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Are we not contradicting ourselves now? Where the strategy of `spreading out the numbers, as mentioned above, can be considered somewhat conservative, the last mentioned `concentrating the numbers´ strategy is much more aggressive. The whole idea is that every time you hit a number, the chances are that you will hit it, not just on one card, but perhaps at two or three cards at the same time! Thus, you enhance your profit from each fortunate outcome. |
Pick a game with as few opponents as possible! |
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Even though fewer players generally equal smaller prizes, it also equals greater chances of winning. In order to encounter as little opposition as possible, it is recommendable to visit the bingo room during the `dead´ periods of the day. The times of these `dead´ periods depend upon the nationality of the players. However, many bingo rooms experience very little activity in the morning, while the Americans are still asleep, and the Europeans are at work. |
Go for the large prizes! |
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Once again, we are contradicting ourselves: We previously advised you to choose a game with few opponents (and relatively small prizes). However, there are exceptions to every piece of advise: By going for the large prizes/jackpots, you are also very likely to go for bingo games with many participants (= less chance of winning). On the other hand: When you do win, you will win BIG! Even though you may improve your chances of winning, by following one bingo strategy or another, it is important to keep in mind that bingo IS, and always will be, based upon good luck/bad luck. Just play, have fun, and hope that you will be the first to yell `Bingo!´ |